Dispensing valve for a pressurized container



NCQ. 27, 195s L. M. coLLlNs ETAL 2,772,035

DISPENSING VALVE FOR A PRESSURIZED CONTAINER Filed June 15, 1953 IN l ENTORS Leo/vaso M. CoLL/Ns United States Patent O DISPENSING VALVE FOR APRESSURIZED CONTAINER Leonard M. Collins, Los Angeles, and Philip F.George, Arcadia, Calif., assignors to Pressure Dispensers, Inc., BeverlyHills, Calif., a corporation Application June 15, 1953, Serial No.361,708

8 Claims. (Cl. 222-394) This invention relates generally to dispensingmeans and more particularly to an improved dispensing valve which isespecially suited for use on pressurized containers.

The valve is of the class used on small pressurized containers in whicha dispensing nozzle is tilted to effect opening of the valve structureand allow the discharge of the material within the container. Valves ofthis general type heretofore in use have been very hard to control so asto obtain a regulated ow of material. Excessive displacement of thenozzle is required to open the valve, and the material is dispensed inuncontrolled ow rather than in regulated ow. Furthermore, prior valvestructures have' not been suciently positive in sealing to prevent theleakage of the pressurizing gas during storage.

With the foregoing in mind it is a major object of this invention toprovide a dispensing valve having positively controlled operatingcharacteristics, and which is especially advantageous for dispensingviscous materials.

Another object of the invention is to provide a nozzle operateddispensing valve which is easily controlled by the use of a slight handpressure.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a dispensing valvehaving a free oating valve stem for effecting opening and closure of thevalve.

A further object of the invention is to provide a dispensing valvehaving positive ange sealing means for effecting a seal between thevalve structure and the con-l tainer wall.

An additional object of the invention is to provide a dispensing valvehaving a iiexible grommet and a rigid body locked together in such amanner that the body holds the grommet in tight sealing engagement withthe container wall.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a'valve of thecharacter described in which the valve stem and the rigid body cooperatefor positive movement. I

upon the operation of the nozzle.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a dispensing valvewhich is made of a minimum number of easily formed elements so as to beinexpensive in construction.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will becomeapparent from the following detailed description of a preferredembodiment thereof, and from an inspection of the accompanying drawingsin which:

Fig. l is a perspective view of a pressurized container with anembodiment of the dispensing valve mounted thereon;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal medial section through the valve taken alongthe line 2 2 of Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2, showing the nozzle tilted with thevalve in open position; and

Fig. 4 is a cross-section taken along theline 4-4 of Fig. 2.

Referring now to the drawings and particularly to Fig. 1' thereof, thenumeral 10 indicates a container or can which is constructed to hold aquantity of material and a pressurizing gas. Such containers aretypically used for dispensing Whipped cream, or the like, with the creambeing maintained under high pressure through the use of a compressedgas. The valve herein described is better able to control the flow offluids having a wide range of viscosities than are the prior valves andaccordingl is not limited to any particular application.

In the usual container construction, the container 10 has a top portion11 having a rolled edge 12 as seen in Fig. 2. A cap 13 is engaged withtop 12 by means of a rolled rim 14 which is secured over edge 12 andtightly sealed therewith by a gasket 15. In the center of cap 13 is anopening 16 which is peripherally deiined by a short upturned edge 17formed integrally with the wall of the cap. A preferred embodiment ofour dispensing valve, indicated generally at 18, is adapted to bemounted in the opening 16 to control the flow of material from container10. As can be appreciated the valve 18 can be mounted in any containeropening, the construction of the container shown being merelyillustrative.

Valve 18 comprises a resilient grommet 20, a relatively rigid body 21,and a oating valve stem 22 which will be described in more detail.Grommet 20 is adapted to interlock with the wall of cap 13 surroundingopening 16 so as to hold the valve structure in position and is formedof any suitable rubber-like material. The inner portion of grommet 20 isformed with a lower face 23 shaped to provide a valve seat and a frustoconical upwardly tapered ange 24 which seats against the inner face ofcap 13. A short cylindrical portion 25 extends through cap edge 17 andjoins ange 24 with a somewhat smaller outer ange 26. In assembly, flange26 is forced through opening 16 to overhang the edge 17 and thus lockgrommet 20 tightly to cap 13.

Extending through grommet 20 is an axial bore 28 which opens outwardlythrough ange 26 and inwardly through valve seat 23. Preferably, bore 28is joined to seat 23 by a beveled wall portion 29 for better valveoperation. Directly above wall portion 29, thewall of bore 28 opens v,into a laterally projecting recess which is in the form of radiusedportion 31 joining a straight shoulder 32 as seen -1' il'l Fig. 2.

wardly from the container.

Body 21 is formed of a relatively rigid plastic or metal material andhas a tubular lower portion which is adapted to t tightly within bore28. On the lower end of body 21 is a locking projection or collar 34which is shaped to t Within groove 30 and seat upwardly against shoulder32. The rounded surface of collar 34 which is complemental to theradiused wall 31, facilitates forcing the collar through bore 28 andinto position.

The outer portion of body 21 is formed as an elongated tubular nozzle 36which has an enlarged bore 37 therethrough joined to the smaller openingthrough the body by a lateral shoulder 38. At the top or terminal end ofnozzle 36 are a series of scalloped serrations 39 which permit thelateral expansion of material as it ows out- The serrations 39 areespecially desirable where the container is used for the application ofa paste or cream in decorative forms.

At the bottom of nozzle 36 is an external flange 40 which extendsoutwardly and seats against the grommet locking colar 34 is made shorterthan the normal unthe result that both anges 24 and 26 are forced intol( tight sealing engagement with the wall of cap 13. This Thus, thematerial of grommet 20- container Wall; and a valve stem extendedthrough said body in floating relationship thereto and definingtherewith an annular passageway for the flow of material from saidcontainer, said stern having a head on the inner end adapted to sealagainst the inner face of said groin met and a lateral projection on theouter end adapted to engage with the wall of said enlarged bore upontilting of said nozzle and against said shoulder to limit inwardmovement of said stern.

6. A dispensing valve for a pressurized container comprisin: a resilientgrorn het adapted to be mounted in an opening in said container, saidgrommet having an inner flange adapted for sealing engagement with theinner face of the container wall surrounding said opening, an outerflange adapted for sealing engagement with the outer face of said wall,an axial bore therethrough with an annular groove extending laterallyfrom said bore within said inner ilange, and an inner face shaped toform a valve seat; a rigid tubular body iitted tightly Within said boreand having a loci-:ing collar seated within said groove, said bodyhaving a nozzle portion extended outwardly beyond said grommet with anenlarged bore therein shouldered inwardly adjacent the outer end of saidrommet and an external ange seated against said outer gromrnet ange andcompressing said grommet :flanges tightly against said container wall;and a valve stern ex tended through said body in oating relationshipthereto and dening therewith an annular passageway for the flow or"material from said container, said stem having a head on the inner endadapted to seal against the inner face of said grornrnet and a lateralprojection on the outer end adapted to engage with the wall of saidenlarged bore upon tilting of said nozzle and against said shoulder tolimit inward movement of said stem,

7, A dispensing valve for a pressurized container comprising: aresilient gromrnet adapted to be mounted in an opening in said containerand having an axial bore therethrough with an enlarged recess extendinglaterally from said bore in the portion of said grornrnet inwardly ofsaid opening; a rigid tubular body iitted tightly within said bore andhaving a locking projection seated within said recess, said body havinga nozzle portion extending outwardly beyond said grornnret and said bodybeing seated against the portion of said grommet outwardly of saidopening to compress said grommet in sealing en gagement with saidcontainer; and a valve stem extending through said body and having ahead on the inner end for seating against said grommet.

8. A dispensing valve for a pressurized container comprising: aresilient grommet adapted to be mounted in an opening in said containerand having a bore therethrough with an enlarged recess extending fromsaid bore in theportion of said grommet inwardly of said opening; arigid hollow body within said bore having a projection seated withinsaid recess and a portion extending outwardly beyond said grommet andseated thereagainst to compress said grommet into sealing engagementwith said container; and a valve stem extending through said body andhaving a head on the inner end adapted to close the opening through saidbody.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS DavisMar. 7, 1939 2,484,434 Geiss et al. Nov. 8, 1949 2,612,293 Michel Sept.30, 1952

